Unfancied Isner struggles to find the words

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Washington, Aug 4: John Isner has run out of ways to describe his week, having entered the Legg Mason Tennis Classic through the back door and now boasting a semi-final appearance against France's Gael Monfils today.

''This is just a dream true,'' he said several times after beating world number 12 Tommy Haas 6-4 6-7 7-6 yesterday in the quarter-finals of the 600,000 dollar hardcourt tournament.

''I feel like I'm just going to wake up any second.'' Isner, a lanky 6 ft 9 ins (2.057m) player just months out of the University of Georgia, was granted a wild card into the event only because Fernando Gonzalez dropped out with a sore back.

The 416th-ranked Isner responded with a string of victories no one could have imagined.

He opened by beating Tim Henman of Britain, humbled number eight seed Benjamin Becker of Germany and then tripped up American Wayne Odesnik.

If merely winning those matches is remarkable, Isner has done something perhaps more baffling. Each of his wins this week occurred in a third-set tiebreaker.

''I think the tour should come up with something where they don't let players over 6 ft 6 ins play,'' said Haas after watching Isner blast 30 aces by him.

Isner has 109 aces so far this week and has the third-fastest serve at 141 mph.

RODDICK IMPRESSED

Top seed Andy Roddick has never played Isner but has looked at the stat sheet on the 22-year-old's serving prowess. When asked of his potential, he uttered: ''You can't teach 6 ft 9.'' Isner was a standout collegiate player and reached the finals of the 2007 NCAA Tournament. The Legg Mason is just his second ATP event, having lost in the first round last month in Newport, Rhode Island.

He has become a crowd favourite in Washington, which could be a reason he does well in the nerve-racking tiebreakers.

Isner has other ideas.

''To tell you the truth, I'm not that nervous out there,'' he said. ''I have nothing to lose. The pressure is on my opponents because they're all expected to beat me.

''I'm just enjoying the moment. I never imagined I'd be in the situation that I've been in four times in a row. It's just remarkable, an unbelievable experience.'' Isner said he always gets asked if he plays basketball, a sport he gave up on in the eighth grade when his tennis game began to blossom.

''Nobody ever asks if I play tennis,'' said Isner. ''Always basketball. If it's not basketball, it's swimming or volleyball. But tennis? Never.''

Reuters
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